ukulele luthier [Ukulele.Space]

LEXIS

ukulele luthier
(pronounced /ˈluːtiər/)

Until the Second World War, the international center of musical instrument making – also for ukuleles – was in Central Europe, especially in the Vogtland, where ukuleles were produced by the factory. After the war, Japan and later Korea competed with the Europeans. However, the bulk of the ukuleles builders today work for the industrial brand manufacturers in China and Southeast Asia. Opposite them are the traditional master workshops of the European instrument making tradition. But since the 2000s, the number of „independent“ ukuleles builders has increased. Since then, there are also numerous (mostly commercial) workshop offerings in Europe and North America, where laymen can learn the production of ukuleles in an intensive course.

There is no special training for ukuleles builders. Most European ukuleles builders were originally trained as guitar luthiers. In addition to the craftsmanship aspects of their work, artistic aspects are appreciated above all, because their instruments should convince both acoustically and visually. That is why Lütgendorff demanded:

The violin as well as the lute are works of art, and their makers are supposed to be artists.¹⁾

Luthier originally designated builders of the ancestor of all guitars, the lute.

The Market for Ukuleles

The USA is the largest market for musical instruments. This also applies to ukuleles. In Germany, the trade in ukuleles is not separately statistically recorded; they count under „other plucked instruments“. Probably the largest part of this are ukuleles.

Sold ukuleles in the USA 2009–2014
(National Association of Music Merchants Report 2015)

Import and export of plucked instruments without guitars in Germany 2006–2016
(Deutsches Musikinformationszentrum 2017)

Workforce of the Chinese producer Artiny, which was founded in 2008 and claims to produce 800,000 ukuleles each year. With 70 workers as shown, each then produces more than 30 ukuleles daily.

State-approved Schools and Colleges for Guitar Making

Belgium

The vocational training lasts three years and leads to a Degree in Musical Engineering.

Internationale Lutherie School Antwerpen (ILSA)

Motivation, handiness, sense of accuracy, independence and interest in music are important requirements.²⁾

Canada

The vocational training takes place in the subject Techniques de Métiers d'Art, profile Lutherie (techniques of the craft, profile instrument construction) and leads to the Diplôme d'études collégiales (DEC) (diploma for university studies).

École nationale de lutherie Québec:

France

Vocational training leads to the Diplôme des Métiers d 'Arts de Lutherie (diploma in instrument craft).

École Nationale de Lutherie Mirecourt

Germany

The official German job title for guitar and ukulele makers is Zupfinstrumentenmacher. It is a vocational profession of the German craft. The subject is also a subject of study and leads to a bachelor in musical instrument making.

A certain artistic talent is the prerequisite for starting this study program.³⁾

Great Britain

The three-year study program in Newark, founded in 1984, leads to the bachelor of Arts in Musical Instrument Craft (Guitar Making and Repair).

School of Musical Instrument Crafts, Lincoln College (Newark, UK)

If you have an eye for detail and an ear for music then you will the perfect candidate for one of our acclaimed musical instrument crafts courses.⁴⁾

Italy

Cremona is considered the stronghold of European violin making. Today, many non-Europeans, especially Japanese, are studying there. Relevant work experience is required.

From 1938 to today, 916 students have graduated, including 340 Italians, 314 non-Italian Europeans, and 262 non-Europeans.⁵⁾

Japan

The two-year training as a plucking instrument technician (弦楽器者 gengakki gijutsusha) recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Culture takes place at private vocational schools (専門学校 senmon gakkō = „technical acadamies“).